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Help us save kids from heatstroke

By Commander Chuck Pepples

Boone Police Department

As we approach rising summer temperatures, the danger for kids left in hot vehicles increases exponentially: at least 13 children have already died this year from vehicle heatstroke. Heatstroke is the leading cause of non-crash vehicle fatalities for children 14 and under. Nearly every 10 days, a child dies from being left in a hot vehicle. More than half (52 percent) of kids who died from vehicle heatstroke were “forgotten” by their caregiver. This is a 100 percent preventable tragedy.

Boone Police and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are asking you to help us raise awareness about the dangers of kids and cars through a concerted day-long social media conversation. We’re asking our state and safety partners to tweet and post on Facebook every 30 minutes on July 31, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. @NHTSAgov will be using the hash tags #checkforbaby and #heatstrokekills on all of its social media posts, and we’d like you to do the same.

Here are some sample social media posts to get you into the conversation:

On a hot day, a child’s temp heats up to five times faster than an adult’s does. #checkforbaby #heatstrokekills

High body temperatures can cause permanent injury or even death. Where’s Baby? Look before you lock! #heatstrokekills #checkforbaby

Fifty-two percent of kids who died from vehicle heatstroke were “forgotten” in the vehicle. #heatstrokekills #checkforbaby

San Francisco State University: 52 percent of cases, child was “forgotten” by the caregiver. #heatstrokekills #checkforbaby

Did you know? In more than 29 percent of cases of fatal heatstroke, a child got into the vehicle on their own. #heatstrokekills #checkforbaby

Last year alone, 44 children in the United States lost their lives after being left in unattended motor vehicles—and an unknown number of others were moderately to severely injured. #heatstrokekills #checkforbaby

Children are particular at risk of death or injury from heatstroke in a hot vehicle, especially when they are too young to communicate. #heatstrokekills #checkforbaby

No child should die of #heatstroke from being left in a hot car! Help stop this 100 percent preventable tragedy. #heatstrokekills #checkforbaby

If you see a child alone in a hot vehicle, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately. If the child is in distress due to heat, get them out as quickly as possible. Cool the child rapidly (not an ice bath, but by spraying them with cool water or with a garden hose). Visit www.safecar.gov/heatstroke for more information. #heatstrokekills #checkforbaby

Heatstroke deaths have happened even when vehicles were parked in shade and the temperatures were 80 degrees or less. Help us get the word out that #heatstrokekills: www.safecar.gov/heatstroke #checkforbaby

Share this with your followers, readers, family and friends – help us get the word out about vehicular heatstroke. Join us July 31 and save children’s lives this summer.